List of dried foods

This is a list of notable dried foods. Food drying is a method of food preservation that works by removing water from the food, which inhibits the growth of bacteria and has been practiced worldwide since ancient times to preserve food. Where or when dehydration as a food preservation technique was invented has been lost to time, but the earliest known practice of food drying is 12,000 BC by inhabitants of the modern Middle East and Asia.[1]

Bouillon cube is dehydrated bouillon (French for broth) or stock formed into a small cube about 15 mm wide. It is typically made by dehydrating vegetables, meat stock, a small portion of fat, salt, and seasonings, and shaping them into a small cube. Vegetarian and vegan types are also made.

Powdered eggs are fully dehydratedeggs made using spray drying in the same way that powdered milk is made. Powdered eggs have a storage life of 5 to 10 years when stored without oxygen in a cool environment.[6] Another dried egg product is freeze-dried eggs, which can be shelf stable for up to 25 years.

Kashk is used in a large family of foods found in Lebanese, Palestinian, Egyptian, Kurdish, Iranian, and Central Asian cuisine. It is made from drained sour milk or yogurt by forming it and letting it dry. It can be made in a variety of forms, including rolled into balls, sliced into strips, and formed into chunks.

Evaporated milk is a shelf-stable canned milk product with about 60% of the water removed. It differs from sweetened condensed milk, which contains added sugar.

Powdered milk is a manufactured dairy product made by evaporating milk to dryness. In modern times, powdered milk is usually made by spray drying[9] nonfat skimmed milk, whole milk, buttermilk, or whey. Pasteurized milk is first concentrated in an evaporator to around 50% milk solids. The resulting concentrated milk is then sprayed into a heated chamber where the water almost instantly evaporates, leaving fine particles of powdered milk solids.

Instant soup consists of a packet of dry soup stock that does not contain water, and are prepared by adding water and then heating the product for a short time, or by adding hot water directly to the dry soup mix.

Dried fruit is fruit from which the majority of the original water content has been removed, either naturally, through sun drying, or through the use of specialized dryers or dehydrators. Dried fruit has a long tradition of use dating back to the fourth millennium BC in Mesopotamia, and is prized because of its sweet taste, nutritive value, and long shelf life.

Goji, the fruit of Lycium barbarum, is usually sold in open boxes and small packages in dried form, and is traditionally cooked before consumption. The fruit is preserved by drying them in full sun on open trays or by mechanical dehydration employing a progressively increasing series of heat exposure over 48 hours.

Li hing mui is salty dried plum. In most parts of China, it is called huamei. It was made popular in Hawaii by Yee Sheong, who in early 1900s, had begun importing li hing mui and various other preserved fruits i.e. crack seed snacks from China to Hawaii. The red powder, called li hing powder, consists of ground-up plum skin that has previously been pickled in a combination of licorice, aspartame, food coloring, salt, and sugar.

Mangoes – The fruit of the mango tree can be dried. The Philippines produces and exports dried mangoes. India popularly produces 'amchur' or dry mango as whole or powder, popularly used in pickles and masala.

Nuts are classified as a fruit. In a culinary context, a wide variety of dried seeds are often called nuts, but in a botanical context, only ones that include the indehiscent fruit are considered true nuts.

Pink peppercorn is a dried berry of the shrub Schinus molle, commonly known as the Peruvian peppertree. In 1982, the Food and Drug Administration of the United States banned the import of Brazilian peppercorns from France into the US, asserting that people who eat the berries risk an array of acute symptoms, such as swollen eyelids and indigestion. In response, the government of France maintained that the berries are safe to eat if grown in prescribed conditions.[11] The United States later lifted the ban.

Sun-dried tomato – ripe tomatoes that lose most of their water content after spending a majority of their drying time in the sun. These tomatoes are usually treated with sulfur dioxide or salt before being placed in the sun in order to improve quality.[12]

Some varieties of maize (usually called corn in North America) are dried to produce popcorn. Popcorn kernels with a high moisture content will pop when freshly harvested, but not well, and are also susceptible to mold when stored. So, popcorn growers and distributors dry the kernels until they reach the moisture level at which they expand (pop) the most when cooked. Dried maize left on the ear is also used for decorative purposes.

Bokkoms – whole, salted and dried mullet (more specifically the Southern mullet, Liza richardsonii, a type of fish commonly known in the Western Cape of South Africa as "harders"),[21][22] and is a well-known delicacy from the West Coast region of South Africa.

Boknafisk – a variant of stockfish and is unsalted fish partially dried by sun and wind on drying flakes ('hjell') or on a wall. Boknafisk is mostly associated with North Norway, but it is eaten along the entire Norwegian coast down to Bergen.

Budu – a sauce traditionally made by mixing anchovy and salt in the range of ratio of 2:1 to 6:1 and then fermenting for 140 to 200 days.

Bakkwa – a Chinese salty-sweet dried meat product similar to jerky. Bakkwa is made with a meat preservation and preparation technique originating from China.[31]

Bayonne ham – an air dried salted ham that takes its name from the ancient port city of Bayonne in the far South West of France, a city located in both the cultural regions of Basque Country and Gascony. Jambon de Bayonne has PGI status. It is a slightly sweet, delicately flavored meat with little salt to the taste.

Borts – a Mongolian air-dried meat with preparation involving cutting the meat into long strips which are hung in the shade.

Bresaola – air-dried, salted beef that has been aged two or three months until it becomes hard and turns a dark red, almost purple color. It is made from top (inside) round, and is lean and tender, with a sweet, musty smell. It originated in Valtellina, a valley in the Alps of northern Italy's Lombardy region.

Bündnerfleisch – an air-dried meat that is produced in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland, The main ingredient is beef, taken from the animal’s upper thigh or shoulder, the fat and the sinews being removed. Before drying, the meat is treated with white wine and seasonings such as salt, onion and assorted herbs.

Cecina – In Spanish, cecina means "meat that has been salted and dried by means of air, sun or smoke". The word comes either from the Latin siccus (dry) or from the Celtic ciercina related to modern Spanish cierzo or northern wind. In Spain, cecina is similar to ham but is made by curing beef, horse or (less frequently) goat, rabbit, or hare. Cecina de León, which is made of the hind legs of beef, salted, smoked and air-dried in the province of León in northwestern Spain, has Protected designation of origin status.

Elenski but – a dry-cured ham from the town of Elena in northern Bulgaria and a popular delicacy throughout the country. The meat has a specific taste and can be preserved in the course of several years, owing much to the special process of making and the climatic conditions of the part of Stara Planina where Elena is located.

Fenalår – In Norway, salted, dried and cured leg of lamb. Curing time is normally about three months, but the "fenalår" may be matured for a year or more. The meat is dark red to brownish, with a pronounced taste of mutton. Fenalår is a very popular dish in Norway, and is often served with other preserved food at a Christmas buffet or at Norwegian Constitution Day. Normally the meat is served as thin slices, but it is also common – at informal gatherings – to send the leg around the table with a sharp, stubby knife. The guests then slice the leg themselves. Thus, in western Norway "fenalår" is called "spikkekjøtt", literally "whittle-meat", but this name may also origin from the word "speke", "to cure".

Hungarian sausages – The cuisine of Hungary produces a vast number of types of sausages. Different regions in Hungary may have their own sausage recipes and tastes. The Hungarian sausages may be boiled, fresh or dried and smoked, with different spices and flavors, "hot" or "mild".

Jamón ibérico – "Iberian ham", also called pata negra and carna negra; "black hoof") is a type of cured ham produced mostly in Spain, but also in some Portuguese regions where it is called presunto ibérico. According to Spain's Denominación de Origen rules on food products, the jamón ibérico may be made from black Iberian pigs, or cross-bred pigs as long as they are at least 75% ibérico.

Jamón serrano – a type of jamón (dry-cured Spanish ham), which is generally served in thin slices, or occasionally diced. The majority of serrano hams are made from the landrace breed of white pig and are not to be confused with the much more expensive jamón ibérico.

Jerky – lean meat that has been trimmed of fat, cut into strips, and then dried to prevent spoilage. Normally, this drying includes the addition of salt, to prevent bacteria from developing on the meat before sufficient moisture has been removed. Modern manufactured jerky is normally marinated in a seasoned spice rub or liquid, and dried, dehydrated or smoked with low heat (usually under 70 °C/160 °F).

Jinhua ham – a type of dry-cured ham named after the city of Jinhua, where it is produced, in the Zhejiang province of eastern China. The ham is used in Chinese cuisines to flavour stewed and braised foods as well as for making the stocks and broths of many Chinese soups.

Lacón Gallego – a dried ham product from Galicia, Spain with PGI status under European law. Historically, Lacón has been mentioned in texts since at least the 17th century. Only specific breeds of pigs are used to produce the food, and the actual product is only made with the pork shoulder.

Lahndi – a winter food popular in Northern Afghanistan, that is usually prepared from lamb and sheep, although it can also be made from beef.

Njeguška pršuta – a specialty of Njeguši, a village in Montenegro, Njeguška pršuta is a dry-cured ham, served uncooked, similar to Italian prosciutto. It has a unique flavor that is attributed to the result of the mixture of sea and mountain air and wood burned during the drying process.[38]

Rousong – a dried meat product with a light and fluffy texture similar to coarse cotton, originating from Fujian, China. It also spread to Taiwan.[44] Rousong is used as a topping for many foods, such as congee, tofu, and savory soy milk.

Salami – curedsausage, fermented and air-dried meat, originating from one or a variety of animals. Historically, salami was popular among Southern European peasants because it can be stored at room temperature for periods of up to 30–40 days once cut, supplementing a possibly meager or inconsistent supply of fresh meat. Varieties of salami are traditionally made across Europe.

Salumi – Italian cured meat products that are predominantly made from pork. It comes from the Italian word salume, pl. salumi "salted meat", derived from Latin sal "salt".[45] The term salumi also encompasses bresaola, which is made from beef, and also cooked products such as mortadella and prosciutto cotto.

Speck – In parts of the English-speaking culinary world, the term "Speck" refers to Italian Speck, a type of prosciutto.[48] Speck is also an English word meaning "fat" or "blubber", attested since the early 17th century.

Tsamarella – a Cypriot traditional food. It consists of meat, usually goat meat, that is salted and cured for preservation. The process of preparation traditionally involves drying in the sun.

Tyrolean Speck – a distinctively juniper-flavored ham originally from Tyrol, an historical region that since 1918 partially lies in Italy. Tyrolean speck is made from the hind leg of the pig, and is deboned before curing in salt and one of various spice combinations, which may include garlic, bay leaves, juniper berries, nutmeg, and other spices. It's then rested for a period of several weeks, after which, the smoking process begins. It is cold-smoked slowly and intermittently for two or three hours a day for a period of roughly a week using woods such as beech at temperatures that never exceed 20 °C (68 °F). It is then matured for five months.